By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The ballplayers, dressed in their crisp clean uniforms, were bundles of energy. This was opening day at the Weston ballpark – and their town was celebrating the beginning of a summer spent watching their kids play ball.
The revival of the Weston youth baseball, softball and T-ball has been led by a group of parents and grandparents committed to resurrecting the program that over the years had lost its spirit.
And on Saturday afternoon, the group hit a home run on opening day.
The festivities began with a parade of the ball teams, starting at the library downtown and traveling through neighborhoods to the ballpark. The young ballplayers cheered and chanted, as townspeople stood on their porches and front yards to celebrate the teams and the beginning of a new season.
A siren from the Wood County Sheriff’s vehicle leading the route announced the arrival of the antsy young players, and a Weston fire truck followed at the rear of the parade.
When the teams arrived at the ballpark, they were greeted by more townspeople ready to watch them do the ceremonial run around the bases, get team photos taken, and devour their first ballpark food of the season.
Jeanettie Zamarripa was one of the Weston residents determined to bring back the summer ball season. She coached her granddaughter’s team last year, and this year found herself as president of the Weston Sports Initiative Association.
“The program just needed to be picked up by people who cared about it,” Zamarripa said. The non-profit organization, run by passionate board members and volunteers, has seven teams this year. They compete against other community teams in the Otsego School District – Grand Rapids, Haskins and Tontogany.
The Village of Weston stepped up on the upkeep of the ballpark, Zamarripa said.
And after opening day Saturday, Zamarripa and others plan to spend much of their summer at the park – cheering from bleachers, coaching in the fields, monitoring kids in the dugouts.
Saturday saw a steady line of fans and families at the concession stand, behind home plate. The big sellers on the first day of the season were typical ballpark foods – hotdogs, popcorn and pretzels.
Jessica Susor, a concession stand volunteer, said the familiar smells draw in customers.
“Everybody is always waiting for the hot buttered popcorn,” Susor said.
Along the third base line, the Kosicki T-ball team in their bright yellow uniforms, gathered around a picnic table. The players, just 4 to 6 years old, weren’t talking game strategy – they were wandering off to get snow cones, chasing each other, shrieking in delight at visits by the costumed Muddy and Madonna Mudhen and from Freddy and Frieda Falcon.
Their coaches took it all in stride. One parent described coaching a T-ball team like herding cats, but with a smile, coach Ashley Kosicki said it was more like “feral squirrels.”
Kosicki and parent Cheyenne Cheatwood talked about the importance of a summer ball program – even for kids too young to pick up many skills.
“It’s important to keep it alive for the small community,” Cheatwood said. “The kids get really excited.”
With a heavy dose of patience, Kosicki talked about the youngest players developing skills not necessary in the batter’s box or in the outfield.
“The mental health aspect is the most important thing for this age,” she said.
Before the games began, each team took a ceremonial run around the bases. James and Christina Fox sat on the bleachers and watched as their two sons, Colton and Wyatt, joined in the opening day tradition.
James Fox pointed out the more experienced players who faked falls as they came into home.
“They get a little dirt on them for the pictures,” he said, as one player rolled around in the gravel.
The Fox parents are thrilled their sons are outside playing ball, rather than inside playing video games, on their phones or their tablets.
“Our kids are all sports, sports, sports,” James Fox said.
Consequently, the parents will be spending many evenings at the ballpark. This coming week, that means rooting from the bleachers on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. “That’s the schedule this week for us,” the father said.
On the sidelines behind first base, players and coaches were lining up for team photos. The photographer repeated the instructions, “Hands down. Eyes up. Big smiles,” – hoping one of the shots would be good.
Meanwhile, girls with hair ribbons matching their uniforms, sat on the ground, drawing pictures in the gravel. Another player teetered on the edge of the dugout wall. “Dare me to jump down?” she asked a boy.
“No, don’t climb the fences. Get down,” a parent insisted.
A couple of the older players were relishing this day focused on them. Camden Tyree and Jayse Michalski, both 13, said he has been playing ball for nine years.
“Because it’s fun. I like the competition,” Camden said of his dedication to the game. “Yeah,” said Jayse, who was more of the quiet type. “Baseball is good.”
Both boys are versatile on the field. Camden plays shortstop, pitcher and catcher, while Jayse plays those plus second and third base.
Jocelyn Zamarripa, 9, admitted to being “kinda” nervous on Saturday’s opening day. “What positions do I play?” she asked her grandma.
After the singing of the National Anthem and several high-fives for good luck, the magic words rang out, “Play ball.”
The Kosicki T-ball team loaded into one dugout, with the adults trying to keep the youngsters matched with their hats and gloves, and away from the bats. “Stop hitting things with the bat,” one adult said.
“This is part of it – how we act in the dugout matters,” a coach said to the players bubbling over with energy.
Once on the field, many of the lessons were forgotten. One player threw the bat with every swing at the ball. Other players forgot to run to base once they made contact with the ball. And infielders en masse immediately swarmed and smothered any ball hit in their direction.
By the end of the season, the games will most likely look different as the players perfect some skills. But some things won’t change. The fans will still cheer from the bleachers. The concession stand will still crank out buttered popcorn. And the children will remember another summer spent at the ballfield.
